Draft reducing device for vessels



March 2, 1965 A. LIVAS DRAFT REDUCING DEVICE FOR VESSELS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 20 WATER LINE INVENTOR. AMILCAS ION LIVAS ATTORNFY March 2, 1965 A. l. LIVAS DRAFT REDUCING DEVICE FOR VESSELS Filed May 20, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4 WATER u m-:

INVENTOR: AMI LCAS ION UVAS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,171,377 DRAFT REDUCING DEVICE FOR VESSELS Amilcas Ion Livas, 50 Broadway, New York 4, N.Y. Filed May 20, 1963, Ser. No. 281,474 6 Claims. (Cl. 114-49) This invention relates to method and apparatus for reducing the draft of vessels when they are leaving or entering a harbor having insufficient water depth for accommodating such sea-going vessels.

In particular, this invention is directed to adapting a sea-going vessel of standard design with a draft reducing device as distinguished from modifying or reconstructing the ships hull (or designing a special hull for a new special purpose ship) when the problem at hand is to load and transport a ship for an economical sea-going voyage to the extend where it cannot enter a specific harbor having insufficient water depth.

Up to the present time, it has been the practice to meet such problem by: (a) building a new ship of special hull design, or (b) extensively modifying a general purpose ship, or (c) reducing the cargo loaded at the beginning of the sea-going voyage, or (d) unloading a portion of a fully loaded ship after the sea-going voyage and before entering the harbor until the draft has been sufiiciently reduced to permit the ship to enter. The same solutions have also been applied to ships loaded with cargo for sea-going voyage which must cross shallow water within a harbor before reaching the high seas.

In its broadest aspect, and in accordance with apparatus of the present invention, there is provided a draft reducing adaptor for vessels which comprises a flexible inflatable container adapted for receiving air under pressure, attachment means securable to said container and adapted to be fastened to the side of a vessel so that at least a portion of the container is below the water line, and means automatically folding the flexible container flatly against the side of the vessel when air is removed from the inflated container.

In accordance with the inventionthere is also provided a method of reducing the draft of a ship at the end of a sea voyage and before entering a harbor which comprises applying oppositely directed tension forces from the ends of air tight elongated flexible inflatable container towards the ships side during the sea voyage while the container is deflated, connecting the container to the ships side at least along one longitudinal line element of the container below the water line and inflating the container before entering the harbor.

Further, in accordance with the invention there is provided a method of folding an inflated flexible container flatly along the sides of a vessel .which comprises connecting the container to the ships side along an upper and lower longitudinal line element of the container, moving a third longitudinal line element of the container exterior of the said upper and lower line elements downwardly along an arc while the container is being deflated and applying water forces to said deflating container to fold the deflating container in half up against the ships side.

The prior art for at least the last one hundred years is replete with devices for temporarily increasing the ships displacement by various pontoon arrangements and it is significant to note that in spite of tremendous efforts expended by commercial interest to solve the veryreal and commonly prevailing problem, there nevertheless has not evolved, prior to the present invention, a device which has received any practical commercial acceptance. This invention is specifically directed to the long-needed practical solution to the long outstanding problem. For instance, according to this invention, there is no need to construct cavities into the side of the vessel either below or above the water line so that the present inventive draft reducing adaptor can be fitted with relatively little expense to the sides of existing ships with side and hull contours designed for economical speeds and general sea-going duties. As a practical commercial consideration, the draft reducing adaptor of the present invention can be carried upon the ships sides during an ocean-going voyage without materially affecting the ships speed in a troubleless manner so that it is immediately available for its intended purpose to reduce the ships draft by merely hand turning of valves or stems after the sea-going voyage is completed and the ship is about to enter the harbor.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be set forth or apparent in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in a limited number of embodiments, the principle of the invention and structural and method implementations of the inventive concept.

In the drawings, in which like reference numbers designate like components in the several views:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of one embodiment of a draft reducing adaptor for ships according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the container attachment device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section of another embodiment of a draft reducing adaptor for ships according to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the cover hinge arrangement and upper container attachment device according to FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a combination positively closing and locking device for the cover member of FIG. 4 in its closed and open positions according to the invention.

In FIG. 1, a ship 10 having .a generally vertical side 12 is fitted with a draft reducing adaptor comprising an inflatable flexible air tight container 14 having at least one attachment device 16. The attachment device 16 is welded or otherwise fastened to the ships side 12 at a location so that a major portion of flexible container 14 when inflated through fitting 15 will be below the water line so as to provide a maximum positive lifting force upon the loaded ship.

In one embodiment of the invention, the flexible container 14 is fabricated from two rectangular panels 14m and 14m which are sealed together at their peripheries, each panel having a nylon cord or fabric, reinforced rubber wall. Such containers are manufactured for liquid container purposes by the United States Rubber Corp, USA, under the trade name Sealedtank and by Dracone Operations Limited, England, under the trade name Dracons. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the flexible container 14 has the two panels 14m and 14m, secured together in a manner to form two parallel linear end seams 14p, 14: each with two securing tabs 14r, 14s, 14r', 14s. Four stressing means 18 are arranged to tension stress the tabs 14r, Mr, 14s, 14s. All of the stressing means 18 may be of similar construction, each incorporating a spring 20 and a turnbuckle 22 between a pad-eye 24 and one of the container tabs. Alternatively, the stressing means 18 may be lines or ropes connected to a Winch for stowing the deflated container snugly against the ships side 12.

The shape of the flexible inflated container and the stressing means 18, are designed so that the container, when deflated, will be urged flatly against the ships side 12 as shown in dotted outline 14a on FIG. 1 and in full outline 14...... FIG. 2.

14a is urged and held in a flat position it will not materially interfere with the ships speed during its sea-going voyage. To this end, it may be "preferable to weld a faring member 25 at the forward and of the container so as to further prevent anytendency of the water to vibrate the deflated container 14a against theships side 12.

The flexible container'14,-when inflated, applies its buoyancy force to the ship by the attachment device 16 which iswelded to the ships side 12 at a location'so that the major portion'of the inflated container 14 will be below the water line. Clearly, all of the tremendous force required to reduce the ships draft must be transferred from the inflated flexible container envelope 14 to the attachm'entdevice 16 in'a manner to avoid tearing he inflated shape of the flexible container is shown in full outline 14 on FIG. 1 and in dotted 14 on FIG. 2. When the deflated container third region of container 14 to :an outboard region of cover, member 40, attachment device 49 being'similar to I the attachmentdevices 16 and 36. With such an arrangement, as the container 14 is being deflated (either by opening a valve to atmosphere or by pumping the air out of the container) the container wall will be forced by water pressureinto the dashed line. position 14a in FIG. 4 since the cover member 140 is below the water line. It is very important to observe that'this feature of the invention employs the action of the water forces to neatly and properly fold. the deflated container wall into the pocket providedby the cover member.

s F It is'to be understood that the tension stressing devices of the container envelope, such problem being further aggravated by the forward movementof the ship when the container is inflated. I

One embodiment of the attachment device 16 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The attachment device 16 comprises an angle 26 welded to a backing plate .28 with a reinforcing strut 30. The backing plate 28 is welded to the ships side 12. A half-round member 30 is welded ,to the inside upstanding end of the angle 26. According to the invention, a pipe member 32 having a greater diameter than the-minimum spacing between 30 and 28 or 12 and a somewhat shorter length than the length of the deflated flexible container 14 is employed to effect the securing of the container 14 tothe ships side.

Con-

tainer 14 has a sealable air tight hand hole 34 in the V 2 welded to a convenient location .on the ship 10. R0-

tating the stem 50 as by a hand wheel 58 1owers a thick lower end portion thereof which permits the manipulation of the flexible container 14 to assume a position in the interior of angle 26 below the'half-round 30 as shown in FIG. 3. Thereafter, 'pipe 32 is slid into position through hand hold 34 to complete the attachment opera- I tion (see FIG. 2). It is clear that while the container wall 14 can adjust its position within the attachment member 26 so as to relieve any concentrated stresses on the container wall, the container wall 14 cannot pull out of the attachment device 26 by virtue .of the half-round 18 may also be used, if necessary, in the embodiment according to FIG. 4.

. container 14 as it is being deflated prevents the container wall from sagging below the level of lower attachment device 16 so that when cover member 40 is finally closed against the ships side 12, theentire'deflated container 14a will be automatically folded in half into-the pocket between cover member 40 and the ships side 12. In addition to the action of the water forces on the deflating container, the cover member 40 will move by gravity towards the ships side 12.v After it reaches a near vertical position, a positive, cover closing device as shown in FIG. 6 completes the closureof cover member 40 and additionally links it in its final position. In FIG. 6, a threaded stem is movable vertically by a thread 52 thereon which cooperates with a threaded nut 54 welded to a bracket 56, the bracket 56 being position, that is, until the outboard end of 42rests up 30 preventing pipe 32 from moving out of angle 26. V

Preferably, a second attachment device 36, identical with attachment device 16 but with angle 26 in an inverted position, is' employed to assist the securing of the ,container 14 to the ships side 12; Thereby thelifting force against stop 62 welded to angle 26.

The mechanism shown in FIG. 6 has a second useful purpose to prevent see-sawing movements of cover plate 40 under wave action when the container 14 is inflated. As shown in dashed outline, cover member 40 can have -a horizontal position when member 60 is upwardly reupon the ship is distributed upon two spaced locations and the inflated container 'isheld closer against the ship.

Another embodiment of the invention is, shown'in FIGS 4 and 5 wherein there is provided a cover member 40 to protectthedeflated fleXible container 14 from tracted and 4t can thereafter be positively locked in such horizontal position'byturning down'the hand wheel 58 until the underside of member '60 presses the overhanging I end48,of cover member 40 against the topside of angle 26.

injury both :during a sea voyage and while the ship is approaching or is tied up'a't its dock after negotiating the harbor waters. Cover member tixhas a length preferably atleast equal to the'length of the deflated container 14a and it maybe s'ectionalized into conveniently fabricatable lengths.

Cover member 40 is hinged hear. the upper attachment device 36. A hinge 42 'is' welded to a bracket '44,-the latter being welded tobacking plate 28*and theships side 12. A hinge pin '46 cooperating with hinge 42 carries cover member 40. Member 40 has an inboard over' hanging portion 48 which comes in contact with and rests upon the horizontal back portion of angle 26. of attachment device 36 when the cover member, 40 is in its ho'ri-.

zontal open position. Such horizontal open position for cover member 40 is the normalpositio'n when the container 14 is inflated as shown in FIG. 4. 'Accordingly, the buoyancy force upon the container 14 is transferred to the ship.10 not only at theattachment devices. 16, 36 but also along bracket 44 and angle 26 whenthe buoyancy force of container 14 is distributed along the width of cover member 40. V I V In vFIG- 511M 6! attaghment device 49 attaches a I ing fronrthe. spirit of the invention.

As in. 1, a faringmember similar to member 25 can bewelded to the ships side 12 to advantageously ,channel the'water when the ship is moving around the pocket between the closed cover member '40 and the ships side 12.

While there has been described and pointed out the fundamental. novel features of the invention as applied to preferredl'embodiments, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the:devicesillustrated and its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without depart- It is the intention, therefore, 'to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims. I l

l 1. Draft reducing adaptor forfvessels which comprises a' flexible inflatable container adapted for receiving-air under pressu're, attachment means secu'rable to said container andadaptedto be fastened to a side. of a vessel so thatat least a portion of the container'isbelowthe water line, and' means automatically folding the flexible/container flatly against-the side of the vessel when air isremoved from the inflated container andwherein said attachships side below the water line, a half-round member secured within said U-shaped member near the opening of the latter, and a cylindrical member having a diameter greater than the minimum space between the half-round member and the U-shaped member, said flexible container being positioned between said U-shaped member and said cylindrical member.

2. Draft reducing adaptor for vessels which comprises an elongated flexible inflatable container having substantially parallel end seams, upper and lower attachment means securable to upper and lower portions of said container and adapted to be fastened to a side of the vessel in a manner so that at least a portion of the container is below the water line and means tension stressing at least a portion of said end seams towards the ships side, the flexible container being shaped so that it will be pressed flatly when deflated against the side of the vessel by the action of said stressing means, said inflatable container being adapted to be inflated and wherein each of said attachment means includes a U-shaped member secured to the ships side, a half-round member secured to said U-shapecl member near the opening of the latter, and a cylindrical member having a diameter greater than the minimum space between the half-round member and the U-shaped member, said flexible container being pos tioned between said U-shaped member and said cylindrical member.

3. Draft reducing adaptor for vessels which comprises a flexible inflatable container having upper and lower attachment means secured to the upper and lower portions of said container and adapted to be fastened to the side of a sea-going ship so that at least a portion of the container is below the water line, a cover member hinged near said upper attachment means and another attachment means secured to an outboard portion of said cover member and to a portion of said flexible container exterior of the portion between said upper and lower attachment means and wherein each of said attachment means includes a U-shaped member secured to the ships side, a half-round member secured to said U-shaped member near the opening of the latter, and a cylindrical member having a diameter greater than the minimum space between the half-round member and the U-shaped member, said flexible container being positioned between said U-shaped member and said cylindrical member.

4. Draft reducing adaptor for vessels which comprises a flexible inflatable container having upper and lower attachment means secured to the upper and lower portions of said container and adapted to be fastened to the side of a sea-going ship so that at least a portion of the container is below the water line, a cover member hinged near said upper attachment means, means positively moving and locking said cover member in its final position snugly near said ships side and another attachment means secured to an outboard portion of said cover member and to a portion of said flexible container exterior of the portion between said upper and lower attachment means and wherein said last mentioned means includes a threaded nut member secured to said ship, a threaded stem member cooperating with said nut member, a bevelled edged disk carried by said threaded stem, the bevelled edge of said disk being engageable with an edge of said cover member when the latter is near vertical so that the cover member is rotated into its final position by a sliding plane motion between the edge of said cover member and said bevelled face.

5. Draft reducing adaptor according to claim 4 wherein said cover member has an overhanging portion relative to its point of being hinged, and there is provided a stop member secured to said ship which engages said overhanging portion and prevents the cover member from swinging above substantially a horizontal position, the end face of said bevelled disk being engageable when said threaded stem is turned with said overhanging portion to lock the latter against the stop member.

6. Draft reducing adaptor for vessels which comprises a flexible inflatable container adapted for receiving air under pressure, attachment means securable to said container and adapted to be fastened to a side of a vessel so that at least a portion of the container is below the water line, and means automatically folding the flexible container flatly against the side of the vessel when air is removed from the inflated container and wherein said automatic folding means includes at least one pair of springs, one end of each being secured to end portions of said container and the other ends of such springs being secured to said ships side at points to selectively tension said springs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6,469 Lincoln May 22, 1849 1,708,784 Carloni Apr. 9, 1929 3,100,100 Carpenter Aug. 6, 1963 

1. DRAFT REDUCING ADAPTOR FOR VESSELS WHICH COMPRISES A FLEXIBLE INFLATABLE CONTAINER ADAPTED FOR RECEIVING AIR UNDER PRESSURE, ATTACHMENT MEANS SECURABLE TO SAID CONTAINER AND ADAPTED TO BE FASTENED TO A SIDE OF A VESSEL TO THAT AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE CONTAINER IS BELOW THE WATER LINE, AND MEANS AUTOMATICALLY FOLDING THE FLEXIBLE CONTAINER FLATLY AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE VESSEL WHEN AIR IS REMOVED FROM THE INFLATED CONTAINER AND WHEREIN SAID ATTACHMENT MEANS INCLUDES A U-SHAPED MEMBER SECURED TO THE SHIP''S SIDE BELOW WATER LINE, A HALF-ROUND MEMBER SECURED WITHIN SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER NEAR THE OPENING OF THE LATTER, AND A CYLINDRICAL MEMBER HAVING A DIAMETER GREATER THAN THE MINIMUM SPACE BETWEEN THE HALF-ROUND MEMBER AND THE U-SHAPED MEMBER, SAID FLEXIBLE CONTAINER BEING POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER AND SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER. 